*Focus on appropriate utilization of available resources
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 23: At a time when much focus was being laid on universalization of education in every nook and corner of the country, the previous dispensation in Jammu and Kashmir was only concentrating on universalization of schools just for the comforts of the teachers and to appease contractors. Now, in order to clear the prevailing messy situation the PDP-BJP Coalition Government has started focusing on integration of schools in the length and breadth of the State for making optimum use of the available infrastructure as well as manpower of the School Education Department.
The intensity of the chaotic situation can be gauged from various glaring instances which have come to the fore during the recent exercise conducted by the School Education Department on the directions of the Minister Incharge, Naeem Akhtar.
Quoting some examples, which compelled the present dispensation to go in for integration of the schools, sources said that in Chak Malal area, which is part of the constituency represented by the previous Education Minister-cum-Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, three schools situated adjoining to each other don’t have all the components required for imparting quality education to the students. This was done only to justify the presence of teachers much beyond the actual requirement.
Similarly, in Baramulla district of Kashmir valley, 27 schools are located within a radius of one and half kilometers. In these schools having around 700 students, 96 teachers have been deployed. While on the other side, a famous private school in the same area is having just 76 teachers for providing education to 2300 students. These startling figures raise question about justification of opening Government schools as well as deployment of huge teaching staff.
Likewise, in Sunjwan area of Samba, for a Higher Secondary School having enrolment of 190 students 27 teachers have been deployed for 10 classes. Moreover, two sections of each class have been created with the sole objective of justifying the deployment of 27 teachers. On the other side, a school in Devak area is having three rooms and three teachers for 170 students. Out of three teachers, two were provided recently during the rationalization exercise.
Quoting more instances, sources said that in Ramnagar constituency, a Higher Secondary School is complaining about shortage of infrastructure and staff while as in the adjoining schools there are 57 rooms and 54 teachers with very less number of students. In Trigam area of Kashmir valley, one dozen buildings are being constructed for the schools during the past several years but none of them has been completed till date. On the other side, there is no High School in 25 kilometers area between Sumbal and Srinagar.
In Nowshera area of Rajouri, the property of a school is worth Rs 20 crore but the result of the school in Matric examination is less than 20%. Similarly, in Rajbagh area of Srinagar three schools situated adjoining to each other have 260 teachers.
“All these glaring instances clearly reveal that the motive of the previous dispensation was only to appease the contractors and teachers than focusing on universalization of education”, sources said while questioning the justification behind irrational opening of the schools in different parts of the State. “Moreover, the teaching faculty was never involved in the process of improving quality of education and their attention remained diverted towards getting comfortable posting as virtually transfer industry was being run in the department at the cost of future of the students”, sources added.
Now, keeping all these and numerous other glaring instances, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government has started integration of schools to clear the prevailing mess. “This initiative will lead to optimum utilization of infrastructure and manpower deployed in the schools”, sources said, adding “the integration will lead to sharing of facilities right from Class Ist to 12th”.
Commenting on the chaotic situation, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar said, “the previous dispensation did everything in the School Education Department except for improving standard of education and making optimum use of the available infrastructure for the betterment of the students community”, adding “emphasis was only on opening of the schools instead of universalization of education, which otherwise is of paramount importance”.
“We are not claiming that situation has changed but at least we have started treading the path of change”, he said, adding “there is no dearth of money and infrastructure. All what is required is appropriate utilization and the same would become reality through integration of schools”.
In response to a question, the Education Minister said, “we have succeeded in mobilizing public opinion and now people are themselves coming forward with requests for integration of schools”, adding “keeping in view the public response we are hopeful of integration exercise yielding encouraging results in shortest possible time”.
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